Just This One Time
by walkingwings
Summary: Just a little Daryl & Jesus writing piece because I like the potential & dynamic between the two.
1. Chapter 1

**I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everybody that liked/contributed input to the 1st walking dead fic I posted about a week ago! If you want to check it out, it's titled 'Outro'.**

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When Daryl walked back into the house he shared with some of the others, Jesus was sitting at one of the stools in the kitchen, apparently out of sorts as Daryl came up behind him. But Daryl knew better.

"What're you doin' here?" Daryl asked cautiously, genuinely curious about the other man's presence.

Jesus smirked slightly, his big ice-blue eyes crinkling around the edges as he did. "I didn't hear you come in." He paused as Daryl tilted his head, acknowledging the blatant falsity of his statement. Daryl knew that Jesus' hearing was almost just as keen as his own. "Well, I was waiting for Michonne-we were going to discuss tactics this afternoon. But I'd be honored to have you keep me company while I wait." He spoke with calm and cool confidence.

Daryl found Jesus peculiar and strange, yet something else was there that interested him. "Okay. I guess." Daryl took a seat two stools away from Jesus, careful to keep a little distance between them, setting his recent kill and crossbow on the high-top table. He still didn't completely trust the man, but Jesus could tell that he wanted to.

Daryl usually wasn't a person who spoke many words, and Jesus knew this even after only having known him for a short time. He also knew that Daryl was irked by his ironically chirpy attitude-understandably. It was certainly an unexpected thing, considering the circumstances.

Jesus sighed to himself as he realized that he would have to be the one to keep the conversation going. "This is a nice place. The people too. If Hilltop had people like the ones in your group, we would be much better off."

Daryl nodded, both accepting the complement and contemplating the words Jesus spoke.

"You're not so bad yourself," Daryl added quietly-surprising even himself as the words slipped from his mouth. He instantly looked down at the table in embarrassment before reluctantly looking back up to meet Jesus' unsettling, yet comfortable, gaze.

Jesus turned to him in mock shock, quirking his eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

Daryl shook his head, "Don't be cocky 'bout it."

Jesus chuckled to himself before switching up the discussion. "I've noticed that your group is like family. The way you trust each other and work together. The strength I've seen in these couple of weeks alone is exceptionally beautiful. How did you work it out?"

"Wasn't me," Daryl plighted. "Rick worked it out. Even from the beginning, it was clear he was meant to keep us together-an' he did." Daryl spoke very highly of the man he considered his brother as well as one of his most trusted confidants. Jesus took note of their important and very obvious bond from the first time he saw the two of them.

"Yeah, I figured. He and Michonne seem like people who know how to do that sort of thing." Jesus' face contorted slightly into a saddened expression. Daryl wanted to ask what was bothering him, but they didn't know each other like that yet. Even still, he could sense that something was definitely missing in Jesus' life. Jesus was a happy son of a bitch, but Daryl could see the torturous truth behind his persona. It hid just behind his knowing eyes. But Daryl decided not to pry on it.

"Michonne's great too. I don' know what we woulda done without her." It didn't phase Daryl that Jesus had assumed Michonne and Rick were co-leaders. They were a team and it was clear as day for anybody to see. After having spent weeks searching on the road together back at the prison, Daryl and Michonne had gotten to really care for each other too. It helped that talking about her took the focus off of the previous topic at hand.

Almost immediately after Daryl said this, they heard the door open and shut as the woman of the hour entered. She nodded to Daryl the way they always did before turning to give Jesus a small, but appreciative up-turn of the lips. Daryl suddenly felt flustered as she looked between the two of them, as if he had been caught doing something out of the ordinary. He tapped his foot nervously against the marble floor. Michonne observed this.

After taking a cold bottle of water out of the fridge, Michonne spoke with determination. "So. I've talked with the others and they think it's best to wait until after everything is cleared to go out again. That'll be at least a couple days." She waited for Jesus to nod in agreement to continue. Daryl had already heard this part of the plan. "We can survey the compound and the surrounding area from just behind the cover of the trees. Good?"

"Yeah." Jesus and Daryl responded at the same time. They eyed each other quizzically as Michonne smirked.

"Oh boy," Michonne whispered under her breath as Daryl's usual glower took place on his face-directed at their newest companion. Jesus continued to stare him down, not the least bit threatened by Daryl's tough guy act.

"Rick thinks we should wait for nightfall. But you're the trackers, so whatever you need."

Michonne had finally gotten their attention back after a quick clearing of the throat.

Jesus was the one to speak up. "That sounds good, Michonne. I'm not as good a tracker as Daryl, but I can work with that."

Daryl scoffed in disbelief as Jesus not-so-subtly tried to compliment him yet again. He didn't know what to make of it.

Michonne began to walk away from where she stood across the table from the two men, securing her katana in its sheath on her back. "I'll see you later, Daryl," she piped up before looking to Jesus, "You too. It was nice discussing with you again, Jesus. I like your ideas." She thought quickly for a moment before turning back to speak again. "Oh, and don't worry about Rick. He'll get used to you. Just give it a little time."

Michonne and Daryl both knew that Rick wasn't one to easily get over things-especially not after being jumped and made a fool of by some random guy out on the road. But still, they knew that he would eventually grow to like Jesus-he wasn't difficult to like. That pissed Daryl off about him.

After Michonne was gone again, Jesus turned back to Daryl, who was preparing to head back outside himself after getting a drink of water. He didn't want to be left alone with Jesus again-at least not yet.

"It was nice talking with you, Daryl." Jesus spoke up truthfully. Daryl had an inkling that, for some reason, Jesus had taken a liking to him.

"Yeah, well, don't get use' it. It was a one time thing." Daryl's tone was teasing underneath the seriousness of it, and Jesus swore he saw a tiny little smirk upon his face.

"Okay." Jesus watched as Daryl quickly and quietly made his way to and out the door. He couldn't help the blush that spread across his cheeks. "Until next time."


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm thinking of turning this into a little collection of Daryl & Jesus shorts. This is just a little thing I wrote up.**

"I don't see why you wouldn' let me do this by myself," Daryl grunted out as he and Jesus carried a box filled with new weapons from the guardpost to the armory. "It ain't that heavy."

Jesus watched on skeptically as Daryl's face dripped with sweat, "I beg to differ."

"Smartass," Daryl said under his breath after wiping at his face with the front of his dirty shirt. The two of them continued on toward their destination.

"Why do you go around wearing that winter hat and trenchcoat like it's the damn ice age?" Daryl asked after a couple moments of silence. "It's hot as hell out here." Jesus had barely broken a sweat despite the intensity of his outfit.

Jesus laughed at Darl's straightforwardness, shrugging his shoulders with genuine in-definity. "It just makes me feel safe." He paused before deciding to spruce up his answer, "Plus, it's practical."

As they continued to walk, Daryl scoffed in disbelief, "How so? Please tell me how it's _practical._ "

When they passed one of the newly built houses in the line amongst several others, the two of them heard 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World' softly playing from somebody's satellite radio. The song was fitting with the times. Yet still, it was oddly calming to hear any type of music again after such a long time without it. Even those who didn't enjoy music in the old word found themselves taken with it's enchantments in the new one. This however, didn't interrupt Jesus from enlightening Daryl on his outfit.

"With it's protective layers, this _trenchcoat_ doesn't allow walkers to easily get to my body if it ever comes to that, which I doubt it will." Daryl still didn't look too convinced. So Jesus playfully added, "The hat, I just like."

That was enough to get a little chuckle from Daryl, "I'm just playin' with you. You're funny."

"Uh, thanks," Jesus responded back, suddenly feeling a little flustered and relieved that they had reached the place they were supposed to be. Daryl walked on as if he didn't notice.

Once they were inside, they slowly eased the box onto one of the metal shelves and made sure it would stay in place. "Okay, back to work," Daryl huffed out as he prepared for yet another task.

In the new world, breaks were a luxury that would only be awarded once every task for the day was done or the sun was down, whichever came first. Jesus admired the strength in the people in Alexandria, even if they had yet to see it in themselves. At the end of the day, they were survivors who protected what was was theirs with every breath they had.

"I can help you with-" Jesus began before Daryl lifted a hand to halt him.

"That's alright P-Jesus. I got it. Thanks for the help though."

Jesus nodded at Daryl before heading out himself, "Okay. Just let me know it you ever need any help. I'll be there."

"I will," Daryl spoke, and Jesus knew he was sincere this time.

* * *

As Daryl walked to the house that evening under the light of the stars, he thought about how urgently Jesus was always willing to help him without wanting to be payed back. He thought about how unwavering his trust was despite the fact that they hadn't known each other for the longest period of time. Paul was a very interesting person, but he wasn't a bad one to keep company with in the least. Those big, icy eyes were difficult not to trust.

For the first time in a while, Daryl opted out of sleeping outside and decided to take the room that was originally meant for him in the downstairs level of the place they shared. Walking into the house, he found comfort in the fact that it was dead silence, probably meaning that everyone was already peacefully asleep. He quietly crept up the stairs to find open doors and windows bringing the breeze from outside in. Daryl walked past Judith's room to find Michonne knocked out in the rocking chair just beside the crib, Judith laying a top of her. He walked on to pass Carl's closed door that read 'knock first' until he finally made it to the end of the hallway.

His friend and trusted partner Rick lay sprawled out on top of a seemingly endless mountain of sheets as he snored as loud as he ever did. His gun belt lay on the floor at the edge of the king bed.

 _Dumbass_ Daryl thought to himself fondly before making his way back downstairs. Even though not everybody was home at the moment and the house wasn't as full as it once was with Glenn, Maggie, Carol and Morgan all being outside the walls, it was still a place for them to be safe and peaceful together.

Even Jesus lingered at the tail end of Daryl's thoughts as he drifted off to sleep. Though the world had gone to shit, there were still people who made it worth sticking around for a while.


End file.
